Your Second Place – Office, School, or Any Space You Work In

Whether you work from home or go to the office or school, doing so probably eats a good chunk of your time. Both home offices and working outside of the home have their pros and cons when it comes to organizing your space.

And we are not only talking about office space. If you are a truck driver or a doctor—I bet there are things you do to make your workplace, whatever it may be, to feel a little more yours. So you may feel safe, grounded and yourself, regardless of your line of work.

Ergonomics is the first thing that comes to mind when I think about a workplace. Because it’s A LOT of time. So, being nice to your body by providing it comfortable options for spending this time is crucial.

Start with lighting and air circulation. Natural light helps signal your brain that it’s time to be alert and active. And fresh air provides the necessary oxygen to support this activity.

Then consider your desk, chair and storage organization. Research options that will support both your body and mind. For example, I ended up getting a standing desk and man do I love the opportunity to change positions!

Recently, I’ve been digging into emotional regulation and bumped into an interesting research done by Ethan Kross. The key idea is that throughout our lifespan we create attachments to people, places and even things. These attachments can be positive or negative, depending on the associations we make with them. When we see these places or people, we activate the thoughts surrounding them. And if the attachment is positive, these thoughts have the power to provide us with sense of security, pushing our emotions towards positivity as well.

What Ethan Kross and his colleagues did was asking the research participants to think about a very troubling, disturbing event from their lives, while giving some of them a photo of their loved ones. The group that was given a photo of somebody who cared about them, showed much less stress reactions than the group who had to revisit the disturbing event without help.

Having around you some items that remind you of people you love or places that make you feel safe and calm can help reduce stress and restore emotional peace.

Plants possess the restorative qualities as well, so having a plant (or 5) around your workplace will also have positive effect on your emotional status.

Cool thing about being deliberate and thoughtful when designing your spaces, having your health goals in mind, is that the changes you make then work in the background, impacting you passively. No additional effort is needed on your end. This extra support may be especially crucial in times of struggle, when even the smallest input could tip the scales.

What’s one object in your work space that brings you comfort or joy? Snap a photo and tag me if you post it—or just email it to me. I love seeing these!